SUMMARY This paper describe the floral morphology and main factors that affect sexual expression of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) plants, including genetic fators, photoperiod, temperature, nutrition, growth regulators and others. In cucumber, as in others species of Cucurbitaceae family, fruit production directly depends on female flowering, of the several sexual types, which are controled by genetic, enviromental and hormonal factors. The hormonal action as well of other products, that affect the sexual expression in cucumber, only occurs at a physiological level. Node number located above cotiledonary leaves up to the node bearing the first female flower is a good indication of sexual tendency and earlyness of a cultivar. Knowledge of the factors that facilitate and indicates flowering are of great value for the cucumber production.
cucumber; floration; sex expression
